Page 87 of Danger

I beat Finn by half a second. Sweep Winnie up—literally, arm around her waist, her feet off the ground as I throw her over my shoulder. Her laughter breaks free from whatever was holding it down.

Subtle has never really been my style.

“Sorry, bud,” I say to Finn. “This one’s already going home with someone.”

“No,” Rylee calls. “You can’t do that!”

“Guess I make my own rules.”

“What are you doing?” Winnie giggles on my shoulder as I make my way out the bar.

“What I should have done earlier,” I say.

“Are you taking me to your place?”

“Is that what you want?” I ask, setting her down as soon as we get outside.

She grins. “Yes.”

It’s not supposed to be this easy, but she’s already pulling me toward the truck, so I let it happen.

“Wait, my car—” she says, but I cut her off.

“I’ll drive you wherever you need. That thing’s a hazard.”

I can’t even understand how it’s still running.

She pretends to pout. “You’re such a hater. My car has personality.”

“That’s one way to put it,” I say, opening the passenger door for her.

She climbs in, skirt bunching around her thighs as she gives me a look that says she’s never going to quit fighting the battle about her car.

When we pull up to the ranch, the sky is clear, moonlit, the kind of night that makes even broken things look whole. I park close, kill the lights, and rest my hands behind my head, because I’m not sure what happens next.

Winnie leans in. “Are we gonna talk about how territorial you got back there when Finn was headed my way?”

I shake my head. “Can we talk about the nerve of him to even try it? Whole town knows you’re with me.”

She raises an eyebrow. “Do they?”

“They do now.” I should probably be careful what I say to her, but I don’t. She makes it hard to hold back.

She laughs, soft and open. “You were so jealous.”

“I was not.”

“Danger Stetson was actually jealous.”

She’s gleaming, smug.

“Quit saying that,” I say, and grab her hand to guide her across the console. She lands on my lap, knees on either side of my thighs, fingers digging into my shirt.

“Make me,” she whispers.

I run my thumb over her jaw.

She shivers. Her lips are an inch from mine, breath warm and sweet.